Our first female mentorship session of the year was a resounding success!

These sessions aim to provide additional support to our female trainees. This month’s topic was ‘Understanding the environment: construction industry, culture and traditions’.

Led by our Corporate Engagement and Placement Coordinator Mildred Mwakamui, the session explored common cultural norms and deeply rooted beliefs that continue to impact women’s experiences and opportunities in the construction industry.

The session sparked discussions on the barriers women face, and how they are overcoming them.

There was recognition that cultural norms are evolving over time. However while there are increasing employment opportunities for women in traditionally male-dominated industries, there is still much work to do.

The trainees shared their experiences, discussing some of the challenges faced when they first considered training in construction. Many recounted surprise and some backlash from their communities and families. However despite the resistance, they stood their ground, enrolled in our courses and are now enjoying their training.

Here’s what some of the trainees took away from the session:

Chipo: “My biggest takeaway is that the ‘head of the house’ title is not limited to one gender. Women can lead households, and that starts with empowerment. The more women become empowered, the more they can take the lead in any setting.”

Joshine: “I have learned that not all cultural changes are bad. Some changes are positive. For example in modern-day culture, women can work in construction, whereas before it was nearly impossible” 

We are excited for the next Female Mentorship session in April, and look forward to witnessing the continued growth of these trailblazing women!